On the Faeroe Islands, P/F Poul Hansen is essential to the population’s wellbeing, not to mention survival. For three generations the trading company has supplied the islands with food and other daily necessities. Well-planned logistics and a modern IT infrastructure enables the company to provide supplies to even the remotest settlements in a world where everything must be imported, and the customers are deeply reliant on timely deliveries.
One is easily overawed by the beautiful nature of the Faroe Islands, where the volcanic islands have created an incredible, unique spot on the world map. But the Faroe Islands are also dark, grey and harsh, and it is not convenience nor accessibility that defines the daily lives of the Faroese people, who are heavily dependent on well-organized supplies of food and supplies.
The trading company P/F Poul Hansen is a lifeline for the Faroe Islands, where all goods are shipped in by boat, and the islands’ nature demands even greater attention on the supply chain. The company was founded as an import company in 1927, but today covers both imports of goods, distribution and even shop operations.
Today, P/F Poul Hansen is the largest supplier on the Faroe Islands with 70 employees. The company started importing tobacco and English fish. It now offers a full range of fresh meat, fruit, vegetables, colonial goods and confectionery. In other words, everything you can expect to find in a well-stocked supermarket. You likely rarely think about how many goods are in a supermarket, or the complex logistics associated with getting the products to the shelves.
The goods are imported from all over the world, with most coming from Denmark and England. Meat is imported in whole pieces, and P/F Poul Hansen has its own butchery, where the meat is cut, packed, and sold on to supermarkets and catering companies on the Faroe Islands.
